Winnipeg Jets Off-Season Notebook: Less Than a Month To Go

WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 14: Kyle Connor #81 of the Winnipeg Jets celebrates his third period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights with teammates at the bench in Game Two of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 14, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 14: Kyle Connor #81 of the Winnipeg Jets celebrates his third period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights with teammates at the bench in Game Two of the Western Conference Final during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 14, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Darcy Finley/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Winnipeg Jets begin the preseason in a little over a week. I can’t wait. The count for the regular season opener is also a little under a month.

This is a big season for the Winnipeg Jets. Expectations have never been higher. The window is firmly open,  and the Jets have to capitalize. Anyway I have some thoughts as we near the off-season’s closing.

What is going on with Morrissey?

Are the Winnipeg Jets attempting to lock up Josh Morrissey? I’m not sure. It certainly gives them future flexibility. If you give him ~$5.5MM, it saves you from giving him six or seven million when he gets close to free agency.

Right now, he might jump at the chance for a big deal. I certainly wouldn’t blame him. I’d never blame a player for taking a big payday, but it might behoove the Jets to do this soon.

Now, they may not be working out a deal. They may just be tossing around terms on a possible bridge deal to keep them from going to  arbitration. But I can’t recall an RFA of this caliber on any team taking this long to put ink to paper.

It’s disconcerting, if nothing else. It could be a good thing if the Jets sign him long-term. But three big contracts in the off-season? Who knows. It’s an odd situation.

These extensions do not come without big risk.

Connor Hellebuyck is young, Blake Wheeler is a seasoned veteran. They’re only about half a decade apart, but that matters when they both signed extensions this off-season.

Everyone is excited for the team locking up its big stars. A few are left, sure, but you gotta start somewhere. Congratulations are in order for our boys, as they get financial security for life (Wheeler probably wasn’t worried to begin with).

Hellebuyck will be 31 when his contract is up, and Wheeler will be damn near 40. These contracts are huge risks for a team that can’t afford to make mistakes.

They also couldn’t afford to let their top players go unsigned. Hellebuyck’s contract is fine, but I’m worried about his play. Goaltender production is so volatile from year to year.  Connor’s only got one season of elite play.

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Do I believe in him? Sure. Do I expect him to be as good as he was last year? Not really. It’s hard to do. Even the best goaltenders in the league don’t win the Vezina year after year. It’s difficult to keep production at the same level.

I hope he can, though. But I’m worried. But what were the Jets supposed to do? Ignore the best shot they’ve had at a franchise goaltender since…Well, they existed? No thanks.

The Wheeler one? It’s just a lot of money. I know I said it was fine, earlier, but it’s a lot of money. I’ve flipped after the initial happiness. I like Blake Wheeler. I’m happy for him. But this team can’t afford for him to decline in two or three years.

That much money for someone who has never performed at that level? That wasn’t a sweetheart deal, it was free-agent money. If you were going to give him that, wait it out.  Give him a  year, see if he does it again. Wheeler wasn’t going to get $10MM.  I know I’m contradicting myself,  but I was wrong before.

I hope Wheeler ages gracefully. I hope he flipped a switch and had a breakout at 31. But a 91 point season after only hitting 70 a few times? I’m skeptical. The production is boosted by the quality of his teammates. It’s a worry. But not for a few more years. If they win a Cup, all is well.

Deal with the fallout forever. Think the Blackhawks are sad about Jonathan Toews‘ contract?  Sure, but they have the rings to cry into. They’ll be okay.

The Winnipeg Jets need a lot to go right…again.

Every young skater the Jets put on the ice last season seemed to have a good start. Sami NIku scored in his only game. Kyle Connor was instantly a  huge contributor.

Josh Morrissey was a steady hand on the back end and a killer shot blocking force. They need that all to happen again, but with Jack Roslovic, more of Niku, and Kristian Vesalainen. The latter played in the Young Stars Classic tournament yesterday, and…well, the Jets lost, 9-2.

But that’s not important. Guys like Roslovic, Niku, Vesalainen, Logan Stanley, Mason Appleton. Someone has to step up, man.

Not only that, they received career years from Hellebuyck and Wheeler. What if those were the best seasons of their career? The Jets would make the playoffs, sure. Their offense is just so, so good.  But If Hellebuyck falters badly, they don’t have a veteran to replace him with.

You want Laurent Brossoit starting for a Stanley Cup hopeful? I don’t. I guess if Hellebuyck is that bad, you’d better expect a trade.

Either way, I know the core is young. I know the players are elite. I know this team has a better shot than 90% of the league at winning it all this year. But I worry. And not unnecessarily.

These are legitimate concerns, not wild ramblings of a crazed man (I have those, too, if you want ’em. Check me on Twitter).

The Jets don’t have the resources to overcome bad play by high-priced veterans. Maybe some production slips but Bryan Little goes back to being good? Who could know?

I’m worried. But I’m excited. Most of all, I’m ready for hockey to be back.

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